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James’ double seals Army Big-4 spot

Shandy Carib Magnolias players are all smiles after capturing the T&T Hockey Board Trinity Women’s Division title after defeating Harvard Checkers 3-1 in their penultimate match at the National Hockey Centre, Tacarigua, on Saturday. Photo: Courtesy Sean Olton

National midfielder Marcus James scored in each half as Defence Force trounced Fatima 4-0 to clinch the final spot for the T&T Hockey Board Men’s Championship Division “Big-Four” Tournament at the National Hockey Centre, Tacarigua, on Wednesday.

Defence Force started the match with 19 points, one ahead of Courts Malvern which had played two matches more and knew it would have secured the remaining spot with a win.

And within 11 minutes of the flick-off, veteran Anthony Morales cooled the nerves of his commrades with the opener while Ryan Chin doubled the advantage in the 26th before James got his first in the 35th-minute to put his team in command.

James’ 53rd minute item, his second of the match, was the lone goal in the second half.

The win improved the “Teteron Boys” to 22 points and two matches left against Paradise and Fatima while Paradise also faces Malvern to end the league series ahead of the Big-Four flick off on June 11 at Tacarigua.

In addition to Defence Force, the other qualifiers for the “Big-Four” are league champions Notre Dame, runner-up Queen’s Park and dethroned champions, Petrotrin.

On Monday, Shandy Carib Magnolias brushed off its failure to land the Women’s title with a 2-1 victory over Notre Dame.

With Paragon blanking Notre Dame 2-0 on Saturday to claim its first women’s league title in over two decades, Magnolias knew it could finish no lower than second and fell behind to a Vanessa Chewitt 32nd-minute goal.

Brianna Govia and Brittney Hingh scored in the 41st and 45th minutes respectively to give Magnolias victory, to end with 20 points from its ten matches, two behind Paragon, the reigning “Big-Four” title-holders.

Meanwhile, the last title to be decided in the T&THB League this season, the Girls Under-19 competition, will be determined with joint table-toppers Magnolias and Notre Dame on Saturday at Tacarigua from 3.30 pm.

Currently, Magnolias and Notre Dame, both have maximum 15 points from five matches, but Magnolias has a superior goal-difference of plus-31 to the Dames’ plus-15 and will clinch the crown with a draw while the latter needs nothing less than full points.